Beth’s Comments (group member since Aug 12, 2014)

Beth’s comments from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.

I finished counterpunch by Aleksandr Voinov last night. 175 pages. It works as a coaching book because it is about a boxer. Use it wherever

I finished heat of the night and prey for a miracle and will try to finish counterpunch for a coach book tonight. Having a great time-- I am sending this from the zip line's wifi

America: ...without Her by Dinesh D'Souza. Finished 7/19

Olympics title relay

My book club all approved the Henrietta Lacks book. It was surprisingly gripping for a nonfiction book.

This Book Is Overdue!: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All by Marilyn Johnson
Kindle - 292 pages
Finished 7/16/16
****

Olympic Title Chain, 20 chain -- book 3

(I read it on the plane)

Oh, and my vacation is a cruise, not a wilderness trek. I'm out of internet because I'm lying on a boat deck, not because I've hiked dozens of miles into the mountains :-) It's a family reunion -- I think we've got 19 people from the grandparents on down.

So I'm planning to update from my phone on shore excursions.

OK, I'm at the airport heading out on vacation, so I'll post my (possible outdated list). I probably won't be able to keep track anymore, so no more nagging from me :-)

Ang
See Me Naked (20 Bonus 5)
Death Under Glass (20 Bonus 7)
Sword ... Darkness (20 Bonus 9)
Blood Music (20 Bonus 16)
Fury of Seduction (15 bonus 4)
Miracle in the Andes (15 bonus 15)

Ashley:
Revenge of the Witch (20 Bonus 14)
Wings of the Wicked (15 bonus 8)

Beth:
This Book... Save Us All (20 Bonus 3)
America ... Without Her (20 Bonus 12)
Born of Fury (15 bonus 3)
Heat of the Night (15 bonus 12)
Prey For a Miracle (15 bonus 14)

Carmen:
An Unhuman Journey (Event 2)
Naked in Death (20 Bonus 6)
Seduction in Death (15 bonus 5)

Erin:
(Twice Bitten (Event 4, coach))
(Taste of Death and Honey (Erin, Event 5, decoration))
Witch Blood (20 Bonus 15)

Jen:
Glass Sword (20 Bonus 8)
Music of the Heart (20 Bonus 17)

Miranda:
Wicked Wrong (15 bonus 9)

Moonlight Reader:

Nancy:
Turn Up the Heat (15 bonus 11)

Paula:
Warrior Princess (20 bonus 20)

Plethora:
Hand to ... America (20 Bonus 11)
Her Perfect Revenge (20 Bonus 13)
Heart of a Dog (20 Bonus 18)
Wild Born (15 bonus 2)

Sallie:

Sheila:
Even Dogs in the Wild (15 Bonus 1)
Night ... Prey (15 Bonus ??)

Unclaimed:
7 Fight books (Event 4) advance]
3 chariot decorations
Bonus Page Jumping, Discus events

I stole Erin's spot for an ARM book but I think she was still planning on reading it so I stuck it in the bonus round. She may want to use it for page jumping or something instead, though. To get any credit for a bonus DISCUS round all three parts have to be used, so if anyone is reading one of the material books that's where to start.

Listen, Slowly by Tranhha Lai
7/16/16
272 Pages
***

Olympics: Event 5, Chariot decorations (flower in water, vines in background)

So I can read anything as long as I can fit it into the bonus rounds somewhere? Woot! (Although I know I mostly have to read my title relay books)

Ang, don't forget #15:

Ang

See Me Naked (20 Bonus 5)
Death Under Glass (20 Bonus 7)
Sword ... Darkness (20 Bonus 9)
Blood Music (20 Bonus 16)
Fury of Seduction (15 bonus 4)
Miracle in the Andes (15 bonus 15)

This is what I've got:

Beth:
This Book... Save Us All (20 Bonus 3)
America ... Without Her (20 Bonus 12)
Born of Fury (15 bonus 3)
Heat of the Night (15 bonus 12)
Prey For a Miracle (15 bonus 14)

I might try to finish Listen, Slowly tonight so that we have the vines to weave our flowers and jewelry around the chariot. Also it's a physical copy and the rest are ebooks, which are easier to travel with.

Death at gills rock by Patricia Skalka
237 pages
7/15/16

For olympics bonus round title relay

Bonus Points:

Chariot decorations: 15 points each, short books OK

Title Relay: 10 points each, bonus if we finish the chains (25, 50 pts
short books OK)

Page Jumping: 10 pts each up to 400 pgs, 15 pts up to 500 pgs, 20 pts over that, bonus for completing relay (35, 60 pts) [heat 2 is 15 pts/book over 500+, 25+ over 650)

Fight Club: 10 pts per coaching book, short books OK

Discus: 5 or 10 pts per book, more for really long ones

Sheila, here's what I've got:

Ang
7 Grams of Lead (Event 3)

Carmen:
An Unhuman Journey (Event 2)

Erin:
Agatha Raisin and Quiche of Death (Event 5)

Plethora:
Island of Ghosts (Event 1)

Yes, the timeline skipping was a bit confusing -- there's Breq's hunt for justice in the present, her memories of the days with Lt. Awn, and a little bit of the days with Lt. Sevardan (sp?) on the Justice of Torin.

The question of gender is interesting because although Breq is in a human body (with reminders of the creepy part in Cindy's spoiler), she's not used to being human. So it's easier to imagine her never figuring out gender cues. But several people mention that everyone from the Raich is famous for being terrible at figuring them out, so even the regular people mess up a lot.

You'd think things like facial hair would be more of a constant -- lack of facial doesn't say anything, but its presence should? Maybe in the future if people want a beard they can just get hormone shots? And it sounds like surgery makes it possible for anyone to have a kid, so maybe obvious pregnancy isn't a sign of femaleness? That stretches suspension of belief a bit. I can buy that clothes, hair, and even mannerisms are culturally based and not good determiners, and even body shape is so influenced by those things that it's hard to figure out.

But I think gender was just the flag to say that things are different here, and the book is more about what makes one human, and what is evil, and when does one decide to act against it.

So we have people reading the last books for Events 2, 3, and 5. Carmen will you tell us when the rest of the bonus rounds open for us?

Do people want to start picking out spots for bonus rounds? I think for these rounds we should just claim a spot as we start reading, to keep us flexible. Of course, I will be in the wilderness sending in smoke signals, so I guess I shouldn't worry about it.

Summary Post:

6 Bonus books left to decorate our chariot. These are 15 points/book, so they are very worthwhile! Please don't make me go finish that Listen, Slowly book... Flowers, gems, we want a pretty ride!

Also fight books are available. And the bonus round for Event 1. And we're hoping to have the rest of the bonus rounds open by this weekend:

Ang
7 Grams of Lead (Event 3)

Carmen:
Fat Vampire (Event 2 )
An Unhuman Journey (Event 2)

Erin:
Agatha Raisin and Quiche of Death (Event 5)

Paula:
The Neverending Story (Event 5)

Plethora:
Island of Ghosts (Event 1)

I just finished Royal Street for the arm picture, and I kept hoping the lead would find any other love interest. He was super controlling and creepy -- he would have been a good partner in fighting evil but I had huge issues with him as a boyfriend. I liked the world building and the magic, but I kept praying for her to friend zone the guy. (I knew I was doomed -- it's a paranormal!)

I'm confident I'll be able to finish all the books I'm signed up for, but I don't want to sign up for more in case I spend time talking with my family instead of reading books in the same room as my family (our vacations can go either way -- I have the perfect family).

So if I do read other things while I'm miles away from the internet, I'll just throw the titles in and let you guys figure out where to put them. My vacation starts Saturday, so I'm checking off "let Team Tapir know about communication gap" on my to-do list before departure.

Finished my Arm book, going back to my chain books.

I'm a little worried about internet next week -- there will probably be days where I've got nothing, and even the good days will be thin. I'm not sure how easy it will be to update goodreads. I'm pretty sure I won't be able to see or update the spreadsheet easily.

I'm tempted to mark everything on my list as "read" with a completion date of next Thursday, and then in the worst case I'll get a message through with a list of what I actually read so the captains only use those books. Does this seem fair?

I forget when wobble ends again -- is it a week from Friday? I also need to pack all the books I have to read (I'm trying to finish all the paper ones before I head out). The forecast is calling for some rain, so that will be an excuse to sit by a window with my e-reader, probably sipping something fancy :-)

I don't think this counts as anything because I started it back in June but in case we can use it someday:

My Life in the Bush of Ghosts by Amos Tutuola
***
Finished 7/14/16
175 pages